Helicopter rescue on Lion Rock as teenage exchange student falls ill during sunrise hike

A morning excursion to watch the sunrise turned into an emergency when a 17-year-old university student fell ill atop Lion Rock, requiring an airlift to a local hospital.

Emergency services were alerted shortly before 7am today after the teenager became severely unwell near the mountain summit. 

Rescue crews mobilized at Lion Rock Country Park in Wong Tai Sin to coordinate the search and rescue effort. 

The Government Flying Service deployed a rescue helicopter to winch the ailing teenager aboard before flying her to Ruttonjee Hospital in Wan Chai for medical attention.

The teenager, a Singaporean national enrolled at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, recounted the ordeal during an interview with Sing Tao Headline, the sister publication of The Standard.

She explained that she had set out from Tsz Wan Shan around 5am alongside two female classmates, hoping to reach the iconic ridge in time to watch the sunrise.

It was her first attempt hiking Lion Rock, and she admitted that the group had set off without adequate preparation or warm clothing. 

After spending roughly an hour exposed to the elements at the windy peak, she was overcome by intense cold and began shivering violently before suffering severe bouts of vomiting. Her companion promptly called family members, who then alerted the police to dispatch emergency assistance.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓